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Downtown Eureka Springs

Small town Americana is alive and well across the entire United States. With thousands of sleep towns and beautiful villages, a new idea of an American downtown has emerged. Gone are the days of a downtown area with a post office, market and police department. What has taken the place of this outdates notion are unique and eclectic downtown areas full of energy, entertainment and accessibility for Americans of all ages. Small towns have become the central gathering places for residents and visitors of the many small towns and cities across the country. Many of these downtowns have rich history and culture attached to them. In addition to their history, many of these small downtowns are now places to shop, unwind, dine, attend festivals, hear music and so much more. Read more about it here:

The largest privately owned Snow Train Village in the United States will return to Eureka Springs, beginning on Saturday, November 15th, and running through Tuesday, December 23rd. The exhibit consists of well over 300 buildings which take you back to a 1930’s to 1950’s landscape of small town America, with three Lionel 0 scale trains, a Lionel 0 scale trolley, and a Polar Express train.

Open generally from 5:00pm to 7:00pm on Fridays, (1:00pm-7:00pm on the Friday after Thanksgiving), 10:00am to 6:00pm on Saturdays, and 11:00am-5:00pm on Sundays, with additional days and hours in December, it will be located at the Gaskins Switch Village, 2051 East Van Buren in Eureka Springs.

Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. This event is a fundraiser for the Eureka Springs Historical Museum, and is hosted by Larry and Cathy Handley, owners of the display.

We’ve mentioned Crystal Bridges Museum before, it is a wonderful day trip here from Eureka Springs. It takes about an hour door to door and is scenic along the way.

They have announced new temporary exhibits for next year that sound really great! We’ve taken the time to wander the museum, the trails and even see a few of the special exhibits. Well worth the trip and we think you’ll enjoy it too. This link talks about the special exhibits for next year and gives you the dates in case you’d like to make a trip.

Rick and I recently took some time to enjoy this beautiful area that we live in. One area quite close to Eureka Springs is Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. It is about 30 minutes north of town, on the way to Branson, MO. 10,000 acres of nature preserve owned by the Bass Pro folks. There are many, many things to do here. We had fun on the Segway Tour. You arrive at the park, there is a café to get a quick lunch if you like. We had a short course on how to ride a Segway, (it is really easy), and off on our guided tour of the park. We drove past waterfalls, wedding chapel, trout fishing streams, more waterfalls, through covered bridges, over stone bridges, past caves, and ended up at the Glory Hole. This is a beautiful pool with waterfall and huge trout. It was very fun and we plan on doing it again on an even longer trail!

Looking through the waterfall

Besides the Segway Tour, you can walk or rent a bicycle to travel the paved trails. There is horseback riding at their stables, a tram or jeep tour of more of the acreage. You can fish from the banks of the river, or go deeper into the park with a guide. This area will be absolutely beautiful this fall! Ask us and we can help you make your plans.

Top Ten Labor Day Activities
Wondering how to occupy your Labor Day holiday?
Heartstone Inn and Eureka Springs offer many possibilities for your enjoyment.
10- We’ve recently had many guests canoe the White River, enjoying a few hours on the river for a relaxing float. You’ll see the trout swimming alongside you.
9-There are 3 caves in close proximity where the temperature is always a cool 56 degrees. Onyx Cave, Cosmic Cavern and War Eagle Cavern. One has bats, one has lakes, all are cool.
8-Always wanted to try Stand Up Paddle boarding? Rick and I recently learned how on Beaver Lake. Easier than you might imagine with an instructor!
7-Take all the work out of enjoying Beaver lake, take a one hour tour on Belle of the Ozarks. This pristine body of water is crystal clear with views of bluffs and the history of the area. You’ll view over 60 miles of the 487 miles of shoreline on your trip.
6- Horseback riding gets you in the fresh air enjoying the scenery of the Ozark Mountains and the quiet of the countryside. One company even will provide lunch or dinner.
5-Wine or beer aficionado? Enjoy wine tasting @ Keels Creek winery or the Stone House wine bar. Prefer beer? The Ozark Mountain TapRoom specializes in craft beers on tap from Arkansas.
4-Zipline anyone? Enjoy 10 zip lines, swinging bridge and suspended platforms on Eureka’s newest attraction, Ozark Mountain Ziplines. It’s just around the corner from us.
3-Spa away the day. Want to relax, work out the kinks of your everyday life? Healing Benefits specializes in nurturing you. Facials, foot massages, hot stone treatments, along with traditional head to toe therapeutic massage. And you never have to leave our property!
2-Bring your bird book (or any book) and enjoy birds & squirrels on our deck. We hear everyday that our guests have never seen so many hummingbirds in one spot. We’ve counted 30 varieties of birds. How many will you find?
1-Shop ’til you drop. If you enjoy antiques, art, clothing boutiques, or t-shirts, we’ve got anything you may enjoy that you won’t find in your local mall.

Historic Blue Spring is a natural wonder, pouring 38 million gallons of cold, clear water into its trout-stocked lagoon each day. Visit the historic bluff shelter, now on the National Register of Historic Places. Walk on ground that nurtured the Cherokee people during the Trail of Tears. 33 acres of walkways and garden paths. Visit the historic mill site dating back to the 1840’s. It’s a very peaceful spot with a great film on the history of Eureka Springs along with a cute gift shop where we buy our hummingbird feeders. While you’re out that way there is also Castle Antiques at Inspiration Point and the Velvet Otter store that has a collection of repurposed home décor & furniture. There is a scenic overlook between these two stores that offers an amazing view of the White River below. Take your camera!

If you like art, you’ll like May in Eureka Springs. Events which include gallery exhibits, art receptions, concerts, a gathering of famous authors, and the North Main FamFest are part of the May Festival of the Arts. Eureka Springs has been named a “Top Twenty-Five Arts Destination” by American Style Magazine. Artists of all types call this area home and enjoy sharing their talent.
There are several month long exhibits including ‘Art as Prayer’ which is an exhibit of original work exploring art as a vehicle of spirituality. Many artists will be on hand for special exhibits and galleries hosting receptions.
Every Saturday night in May, the downtown galleries put on a special show with some of their most popular artists. Artists will be in the gallery doing demonstrations and ‘meet and greets’. Most of the galleries also offer refreshments during the artist receptions
One of the favorite events of the month is the White Street Studio Walk on Friday, May 16. Historic White Street is the working address of several local artists who will welcome the public into homes and studios to view their latest works. They will be joined by more than forty guest artists from the Eureka Springs area, who will show weaving, watercolors, jewelry, oils, pottery, stained glass and much more.Books in Bloom Literary Festival is a free event held on the grounds of the Crescent Hotel. This year’s featured speakers include bestselling authors Kathy Reichs, Michael Shelden, Terry Brooks and Elizabeth Berg. Throughout the afternoon dozens of regional authors are also on hand reading from their work.
Music is also part of the celebration. Free concerts in Basin Park, Ozarks Chorale Spring Concert and John Two-Hawks Mothers Day Concert are just a few. Headlining at The Auditorium on May 23rd is premier American Singer & Songwriter Michael Martin Murphey.

In case your idea of art is the four wheeled kind, there are three car shows this month: The PT Cruiser Rally; the Camaro Fest and the Mustang Show and Parade which is celebrating its 50th anniversary of the iconic American car.

JustGoodNews.biz website shares who’s hiring, who’s expanding, innovative companies and communities with great ideas all over the nation. We have been included on their national and Arkansas pages. http://www.justgoodnews.biz/category/arkansas-good-news/ If you’re looking for positive stories in the business world this is an awesome website. We’re happy to call them customers and appreciate their optimistic outlook!

This is a new commercial for Eureka Springs. The producers came a couple of weeks ago on a cold and rainy day and turned it into a lovely commercial. Our Victorian Suite is featured in the opening scene in front of the fireplace. Our breakfast room is also one of the scenes. Hope you enjoy!